Tag: saving

Image copyright Robodrone Image caption Rescue teams say drones can sometimes halve search times Being buried alive is a scenario most of us thankfully only experience in nightmares. But for off-piste skiing fans, lured by the thrill of carving their own tracks through fresh powder snow, it’s an ever-present risk. More than 150 people – mostly skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers – are killed in avalanches every year, according to National Geographic statistics. This month alone, there have been deaths in Switzerland, Italy, Canada and North America. Drone manufacturers claim UAVs…

The spotted handfish is a critically endangered species that is found only in a small area of Tasmania, Australia. With distinctive fins that look like hands, the slow-moving fish appears to “walk” rather than swim. The “weird” fish are said to grow up to 12cm (4.7 inches). Scientists are making painstaking efforts to save the species from extinction. Video by Sarah Abbott Source link

Ian’s daughter Libby was using Instagram to post images of her self-harm injuries. He says photographs on the social media platform were more graphic than things he had seen when serving in the Army. Libby is now in recovery and hopes to become a paramedic. In a statement, Instagram said it had begun “a full review of our policies, enforcement and technologies around suicide and self-injury content”. If you’ve been affected by self-harm, eating disorders or emotional distress, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. Source link

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionAfrica’s drone mapping experts A lack of accurate maps is a big problem in parts of Africa: for disaster relief agencies, local authorities and people looking for safe places to build homes. Could cheap survey drones and local volunteers help plug the gaps? Khadija Abdulla Ali is an unlikely drone pilot in the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar. Conservatively dressed and from a traditional Muslim background, she is a member of the Zanzibar Mapping Initiative, which since its inception in 2016 has become…

Image copyright Joe Miller Image caption Joe Brewer and Stacy in their new home Joe Brewer, from Dartford in Kent, moved into his two-bedroom terrace with girlfriend Stacy a month ago. “It’s a big relief getting in there. It really took a long time but it has paid off. It seemed I was saving for a lifetime!” says the 27-year-old. He is among increasing numbers of 25 to 34-year-olds for whom home ownership has become a reality. For the first time in 30 years, home ownership among this group has…

Image copyright GCF/Sean Viljoen For almost 50 years, the highly threatened West African giraffe has been absent from Niger’s Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve. Illegal hunting, climate change and habitat loss have all contributed to the population’s decline. An ambitious conservation initiative has now re-introduced eight giraffes into the reserve, in the first conservation effort of its kind for the West African subspecies. Image copyright GCF/Sean Viljoen Under the initiative, spearheaded by the Nigerien authorities, the eight giraffes were captured in the country’s Giraffe Zone, a government-defined region approximately 60km (37 miles)…

Misimi Isimi, aka “Miss Environment”, is an 11-year-old environmentalist determined to clean up pollution in Nigeria. She says she loves teaching other children about environmental issues. Misimi told BBC Minute “some adults are not environmentally responsible” so “she’s on a mission to save Lagos”. Source link

Puffins are now an endangered species, and important populations in Iceland are disappearing. To make matters worse, on one island off the south coast, fledgling birds – known as pufflings – land in the local town by mistake and are at risk of being killed. But some young volunteers are coming to their rescue. Video by Jasmine Taylor-Coleman and Jemma Cox. Source link

DALYAN, Turkey (Reuters) – June Haimoff first stumbled across a loggerhead turtle on Turkey’s southern coast more than 30 years ago. It was a chance encounter that changed her life and the future of the beach she was wandering along. An injured sea turtle is examined by Sea Turtle Rescue Center (DEKAMER) officials upon her arrival to the centre at Iztuzu Beach near Dalyan in Mugla province, Turkey, July 18, 2018. REUTERS/Umit Bektas Already beguiled by the 4 km (2.5 mile) stretch of sand, which forms a natural barrier between…

Image copyright European Parliament Image caption The European Parliament urged the Commission to review the time system The EU Commission is proposing to end the practice of adjusting clocks by an hour in spring and autumn after a survey found most Europeans opposed it. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said millions “believe that in future, summer time should be year-round, and that’s what will happen”. The Commission’s proposal requires support from the 28 national governments and MEPs to become law. In the EU clocks switch between winter and summer under daylight…